• BIO 264 Anatomy & Physiology I
  • 1.0. MODULE 1: TERMINOLOGY/HOMEOSTASIS
  • 2.0. MODULE 2: INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • 3.0. MODULE 3: ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • 4.0. MODULE 4: THE CELL
  • 5.0. MODULE 5: CELL MEMBRANES-STRUCTURE AND TRANSPORT
  • 6.0. MODULE 6: NERVOUS SYSTEM ORGANIZATION
  • 7.0. MODULE 7: SKELETAL MUSCLE
  • 8.0. MODULE 8: METABOLISM
  • 9.0. MODULE 9: CONTROL OF BODY MOVEMENT
  • 10.0. MODULE 10: THE AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM
  • 11.0. MODULE 11: THE BRAIN
  • 12.0. MODULE 12: SPECIAL SENSES
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  • Translations
  • 1.1.2

    Body Directions

    Anatomical Position Directions

     

    Anatomical Position Directions. Image modified from public domain images of body and directions added by T.Orton 2017

    Superior: above (ex: the head is superior to feet).

    Inferior: below (ex: feet are inferior to the head).

    Cephalic: relative term meaning nearer to the head (ex: collar bone is cephalic to the sternum).

    Caudal: relative term meaning nearer to the tail (ex: sternum is caudal to the collar bone).

    Anterior: toward the front of the body (ex: the nose is anterior to the brain).

    Posterior: toward the back of the body (ex: the brain is posterior to the nose).

    Ventral: toward the belly; equivalent to anterior (ex: the breast is ventral to the spine).

    Dorsal: toward the back; equivalent to posterior (ex: the spine is dorsal to the breast).

    Proximal: nearer to point of reference or attachment (ex: the shoulder is proximal to the elbow, or the elbow is proximal to the wrist).

    Distal: farther away from a point of reference or attachment (ex: the elbow is distal to the shoulder, or the wrist is distal to the elbow.

    Lateral: away from the median plane of the body (ex: the shoulder is lateral to the head, or the ear is lateral to the brain).

    Medial: toward median plane of the body (ex: the head is medial to the shoulder, or the nose is medial to the cheek).

    Superficial: toward, at, or pertaining to the surface (ex: the skin is superficial to the muscles).

    Deep: away from or below the surface (ex: the muscles are deep to the skin).

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